Ignatian Centre
Cambodian Immersion
Reflections from an unforgettable trip to the Killing Fields and classrooms of Cambodia.
Over the course of two weeks in Cambodia, we experienced a spiritual balm that emanated from the extraordinary people and situations we encountered. We experienced the selflessness of Sister Denise in Battambang as she cared for the landmine victims. We witnessed the generosity of Bishop Kike living the gospel as he cared for the disabled children who were outcasts. We were blinded by the love behind the dazzling smiles and laughter of the thousands of unkempt children wandering around the streets looking for hope in every pile of garbage. We were moved by the forgiveness of brutal tormentors in order to give hope to a land that was deprived of civilised behaviour, for four extreme years.
We were challenged to find God in all things, and our nightly reflections were evidence of how difficult that was – where is God when mothers are forced to watch their babies being bashed against a tree? Where is God in the terrified faces of the people whose photographs are on the walls of the infamous S-21( prison)? Where is God in the wooden stumps that people use to replace a leg ripped from their bodies by a land mine? These were not easy nights.
Where was God? We found him in the head, the heart and the hands of the man who helped with the bricklaying from his wheelchair; the friendship of the two men on the gate to the school – one a Khmer Rouge soldier, and the other an amputee who was their victim; and, the men who take tourists every day to sites where their parents were murdered in order to remind people that such terrible things must never happen again.
We left immersed. Grateful for the fact that we could help – a little bit. All of us were changed. We were all moved to be better and to do more. In Cambodia, we found God and we will never forget that trip.
DOMINIC EDWARDS, YEAR 12
The Cambodian Immersion was a challenge in every which way. Physically challenging with intense daily itineraries, arduous labour, and lengthy commutes in uncomfortable pick up trucks. Mentally challenging, trying to create engaging teaching and learning activities in classrooms over-filled with Cambodian children and limited resources. And spiritually challenging, having to come to terms with witnessing the scenes of some of the worst human rights abuses and genocide of ethnic and moral cleansing. These curve balls were thrown at us everywhere we turned.
We experienced new insights and growth each day. From the encounters with the local communities in Phnom Penh to the remote villages in the north in Siem Reap; from playing football and tennis with a one-legged young boy and games with mentally and physically challenged disabled children in Battambang, to standing up in front of a classroom of 35 children and teaching English; from witnessing the spirit and resilience in the Cambodian people, despite their extreme poverty.
These experiences have stirred up a pot of emotions, reflections and actions, and it’ s evident there has been a significant shift in the way we view the world. This is what we hope and strive to achieve in being men and women for others.
MARIA SKOURAS, TEACHER- LANGUAGES
8 | IGNATIAN | JULY 2017